Machine for the treatment of photographic prints



April 18, '1 939 J. `SAMANDJI 2,154,585

MACHINE FOR THE TREATMENTOF PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS Filed April 18, l193,8

Patented Apr.,l8, 1939 I UNITED` STATES PATE NT OFFICE Y MACHINE FOB THE TREATMENT OF'PHOTO- GRAPHIC PRINTS Jacques Samandji, Paris, France Application april 1s, mss, serial No. :0:1794

In Luxemburg May 8,

Clnlms. (Ul. 95-89) vthe two parts of each belt extending on The present invention relates to apparatus for washing and drying photographic prints leaving tbe developing tank and for `immersing these prints into the ilxing bath.

5 It n known that the operator who wishes to the addition thereto of washing waterfcarriedv along by the prints. v v

The object of the present invention is to eliminate these disadvantages.

'I'he apparatus according to the present invention is of the type including two driving cylinders haying their peripheries made of a resilient material, applied against each otherrand located substantially above a tank for receiving the spent washing water, and a sprinkling device-for ensuring the dripping of water along the surfaces of said cylinders.` v

According to an essential feature of the present invention, both of these driving cylinders have at least -their periphery made 'of a spongelike matter, for instance spongy rubber, and at least one of these cylinders is provided, on its periphery, with projections or gaps preventing adhesion of the prints on the surface thereof.

According to another feature of the present invention, the sprinkling means are disposed, with respect'to the ydriving cylinders, in such manner that the washing water drips along said cylinders-on the surface thereof from which the prints are introduced between said cylinders.

According to still another? feature of the present invention, the cylinders are applied against each other with a/pressm'e` corresponding substantially to that'necessary. for obtaining the exi.45 peliingby compressione! the water present in the. prints into the pores of the spongy matter. V "Aooordingto still another feature of the present'invention, the drive. of the prints leaving the 4 y above mentioned cylinders is effected through the intermediate of a set of endless belts, ofjsxnall section, located apartirom one another, and leading to the next bath. `The`se`belts, preferably e of circular section, are driv'eniby the Idriving'cyl- ,y inder, aroundwhich they' pass with Va'pressure ss vsuilicieut for producing grooves in said cylinder,

l elements of the machine.

lriphery of the cylinder.

side of a cylinder being inclined in such manner that the liquid that might be carried along by said belt drops back into the tank.

According to still another feature cf the present invention, the device is provided, substantially under thefend of thevconveying belts, with a cylinder the outer surface of which is not adhesive, partly immersed in the treatment bath and rotating in' the same direction as the driving cylinders. j

/still another feature of the pres- According to ent invention, this last mentioned cylinder is constituted by two anges or cheeks 'assembled by means of spacing members adapted to leave a certain intervalybetween them, suitably spaced either rubber rings preventing the prints from penel trating between the spacing members. s

Other features oi' the present invention will result from the following detailed description of a speciilc embodiment thereof.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be hereinafter described, with reference 4 to the accompanying drawins. given merely by way of example, and. in which:

spacing members E, and supporting the chief Each of these side members is' provided, at its lower part, with a base A, A1, provided with holes t, t1 intended to permit its fixation to a suitable support, such for instance as a table. The shape of these memy bers is such that it vpermits (Fig. 1) of placing' between them a tank C containing the xing bath B.

At one of the ends of the frame, there is journalled a cylinder 2, dipping in bath B 'and constituted'by two side discs of cheeks l, 3a, inter- 45 or rings 5, for instance of rubber, along the pe'- Thls particular ara certain rnumber (for instance three) ot bands.'

rangement might be replaced by another equiva-rv lent one. For instance, cylinder 2 might be solid and it might beprovided, *on its periphery; with alternate projections and r consisting for instance of longitudinal or annular grooves opspongy matter sucks in the liquid posing adhesion of the photographic prints to the periphery of the cylinder.

Cylinder 2 is given a rotary movement, in the direction of arrow F1, owing to the provision of a pulley 6 cooperating with a belt,1 driven by motor M and passing around two grooved pulleys P, adapted to turn freely on their respective axes, and a pulley P1 rigid with lthe driving cylinder 8.

This cylinder 8 is provided with peripheral annular grooves 8a and its periphery is constituted by a layer 9 of a spongy resilient matter, for instance spongy rubber. This cylinder serves to drive a plurality of belts Il, of relatively small section, of round shape in the example shown by the drawing, ,Which pass in said grooves 8a on cylinder 8 and in grooves I2 of a freely rotating pulley I3 journalled in side members I, Ia. The tension of these belts is such that it produces, on the periphery of driving cylinder 8, owing to grooves 8a, bulging projections Il, which prevent adhesion of the photographic prints to the drlv.- ing cylinder. This cylinder is drivenby belt 1 inthe direction of arrow F2.

Substantially under cylinder 8, there is a vtank 20 cylinder I5 mounted on an axis I8, journalled in side members I and Ia of the frame and adapted to rotate freely, is applied against cylinder 8 with a suitable pressure, tangentlally therewith, this cylinder .I5 being free to rotate about its axis. The periphery of this cylinder I5 is covered with a layer I'I oi a spongy matter, for instance spongy rubber. This cylinder I5 is driven in the direction of arrow F'3 by its engagementwith the driving cylinder 8.

A pipe I8, provided with apertures along its periphery, receives washing water from a connection I 8 and constantly sprinkles this water onto the periphery I'I oi. cylinder IS The water that has dripped along cylinders I5 and 8 iinally drops into tank 28.

'I'he machine above described works in the following manner:

The photographic prints, coming from the developing bath, are inserted manually betwee cylinders 8 and I5.

On the other hand, the washing water supplied by pipe I8 is driven alongby the periphery of cylinder I5, which is imbibed with water. It should be noted that, as a consequence of the rotation of cylinder I5, the washing water troni pipe I8 is necessarily driven toward the right hand side of the group of driving cylinders and cannot flow back toward the other side oi' said group of cylinders. l

The periphery 9 of the driving cylinder 8 is also soaked with water, and when they come into contact, the two spongy layers act as's ponges which are drained from a liquid. vIn other words, these layers, from the initial contact generatrix to the generatrices thereof located in the common plane of the cylinder axes, are subjected to aV pressure which increases up to a value sufficient for driving of! the washing water. The latter drips onto the print E and washes it,l any traces of developer as may be present thereon being mixed with the washing water. Between the generatrices of contact corresponding to the maximum pressure and the last generatrlces of contact (on the left hand side of the common plane of the axes oi the cylinders), the pressure that is exerted on the spongy layersA decreases gradually until it nally becomes zero. The

by the washing water and the traces of developer and thus ensures the drying of the print andl of the driving belts II.

Belts II act as conveying, means for brinsinl' the print thus washed and driedsubstantisliy by its immersion in the preceding bath, tends to adhere to cylinder 2, itis detached therefrom, as soon as it is immersed into the bath, by the ow of liquid between the transverse members I oi' said cylinder 2.

It should be noted that both parts oi belt II are inclined in such manner that the liquid that might be driven along by capillarity by said belt, despite the drying thereof, cannot go as far as the space above tank C and drops back into tank 28. v

-,It will be readily understood that the arrangement above derib'ed has the advantage oi' avoiding soiling of the nxing bath by introduction thereinto of traces-oi developer and eliminates the'weakening oi' the fixing bath by addition thereto of washing water, since the prints are'dried previously to their introduction into said fixing bath. ,J

Of course, the means for supporting and driving the cylinders might be modiiled within the scope of the invention. In a general manner, while I have, in the above description, disclosed what I deem to be practical as and eiilcient embodiments of the present invention, it shouldbe well understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto as there might be changes made inthe arrangement, disposition. and form of the parts without departing from the principle of the present invention as comprehended within the scope of the accompanying claims. j

What I claim is:

1. A machine of the type described, for the treatment of photographic prints, which comprises, in combination, a frame, two superposed cylinders journalled in said frame having atleast their peripheries made of a spongy matter, said cylinders being pressed against each other along a common generatrixr at least one of-said cylinders being provided with projections on its periphery for preventing adhesion of the prints thereon, and means for sprinkling water over the top of the upper cylinder, at least one of said cylinders being adapted to be rotated `about its axis for driving the prints between said cylinders.

2. A machine-according to claim 1 in -which said sprinkling are positioned with respect to said cylinders in such manner as to pour water on thegsidethereoi' from which the prints nre inserted between' said cylinders.

3. A machine according to claim 1 in which said cylinders are applied against each other with a pressure sutllcient for driving oi! the water,

preseniNn the pores of said spongy matter that correspond to the parts ot said cylinders in conftact with each other along said common genera- 4.Amachins of the type described, iomthe treatment at photographic prints, which ccmprises, in comilnntion, s trame, two simerposed a d @..m a

mm @www m m. me@ wm www@ www mmmmmmmm mm m mqmmmm Mmmm u hmmmmm ,mm .n m m www@ mm mm 4 mmmm .w

dflfwdmmm A h mwwmmmmw 

